Metal coating apparatus



Oct. 4,J 1932. W E, MOORE METAL GOATING APPARATUS qriginal med oct. 11,1929 Patented Oct. 4, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM E. MOORE,OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA,' .ASSIGNOR T0 PITTSBURGH IBFSIELARCHyCORPORATION, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA METAL COATING ArrARA'rUsll'iinlvaliplication led October -11, 1929, Serial No. 398,989. Dividedand this application led February c. 7, 1931. ser1a1No.514,251. y

My invention relates yto apparatus `for carrying out processes forcoating metal. L

, Thereis a'large demand for wire,rods, 'sheetsgcovered with anon-corrosive =metal such as copper, but this demand has lnot beencompletely supplied due to the factthatptheapparatus and processesheretofore' employed v resulted' in unequal covering'or insuliicientadherence of the non-co'r-j 10 rosive metal to the steel or Vothermetal, or an eccentrieor 'rregularthickness lof the coveringmetal,yluinerousv apparatus and methods of welding the copper to the steelbillet have been employed but these apparatus and l5 processes have beenboth expensive and uncertain. Some of these apparatus and methodsinvolved heating the steel billets in the molds which resulted in damageto the molds and in uncertain welding and an uneven covering of copper.

I propose to avoid these disadvantages by electrically heating thebillet either in the mold or separately from the mold and thus assureeven heating and welding of the covering of copper or other metal.

A. further object of my invention is to prevent oxidation of the metalsduring the welding thereof. y

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during thecourse of the following description.

This application is a division of my application filed October 11, 1929,Serial N o. 398,- 989.

In the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this speciiicationand wherein like characters of reference denote like or correspondingparts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of my improved coatingapparatus, and.

Figure 2 is a similar view of a modied form thereof.

In the drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral designates acylindrical mold of metal or suitable refractory material, open atitsupper end. The billet 11 of steel or other corrosive material isplaced within the mold 10, concentrically 5 therewith, and being smallerthan the interior ofthe mold, leaves a circumferential space 12 betweenthe mold andthe billet and'extending throughout the length of thebillet. The steel billet 11`is arranged longitudinally in a magneticcircuit formed by a laminated core built up of low hyster'etic losslaminated iron such as high silicon steel sheets arranged as intransformer cores. The laminated core comprises a transverse top bar 13connected With a longitudinal bar 14 arranged parallel to' the billet11. The top bar 13 rests upon the top of the steel billet 11 anda lowertransverse bar 15 contacts with thev lower lend of the billet through alsuitable opening in the bottom of the mold 10 in any suitable manner,but is not secured directly to the'barld as is thebar 13. A slip joint,shown diagrammaticallyat 16,`isarranged between the end ofthe bar v15and the bar 14. Consequently the space between the crossbarsland 15 maybe varied to accommodate vdifferences in the sizes of the billets tobeco'ated. .A coil comprising an alternating current winding 17 isarranged around the billet or'mold and when the current is appliedthrough the leads 18 the magnetic circuitiis closedaround the outsidebythe laminated core sections 18, 14 and 15. v s In place` of arrangingthe coil about the billet or mold as in Figure 1, the billet may beheatedby means of a primary winding or induction coil supplied byalternating current and surrounding a portion ofa laminated core as at19 'in Figure 2.

- The magnetic circuit then passing. through the billet, which is not`laminated, causes it to act as amagnetic core and also as a secondaryelement ofthe transformer combination, the non-laminated material of thebilletallowing circumferential currentsv to ow around steel from end toend, bringing it up rapidly to the proper heat.' s f, l

` The billet'is properly arranged in the mold while cold or the mold maybe applied after heating the billet and the electric current turned on,the effect being to rapidly heat the billet. The copper or other` metalsuch as a non-corrosive material is separately melted and then is pouredinto the open top of the mold and lls up the space 12.' `It is obviousthat the mold may thus be heated by the billet before the copper ispoured. The heating of the steel billet is clean non-scaling heat, suchas to produce proper welding of the copper to the steel since the'ordinary oxidizing eii'ects of the fuel fired furnaces are largelyeliminated due to the absence of hot furnace gases and also due to thevery rapid heating of the billet by my electrical process.

In order to keep down-,the oxidation and improve the Welding propertiesof the steel to the copper, I preferably enclose the billet, while beingheated, in a bath 'of reducing or non-oxidizing gas, as for example,hydrogen, water-gas, or other similar fluids.

It has been found that vbillets covered by this rocess are evenly moldedand completely wel ed and are not expensive to produce.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood that various changes may be 1.resortedto without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of thesubjoined claims.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for coating a billet of corrosive metal with anon-corrosive metal comprising a mold member open at both ends andadapted to receive a billet, a laminated magnetic core member adapted tocontact with both ends of the billet, and an alternating current coilassociated with one of said members to excite a magnetic fluxlongitudinally of the billet to heat the same.

2. Apparatus for coating a billet comprising a mold open at both endsand adapted to receive a billet, a laminated iron core adapted tocontact with the billet at both ends thereof and an alternating currentcoil arranged .about the xnold and adapted to excite a magnetic fluxlongitudinally of the billet to heat the same.

3. Apparatus for coating a. metal billet comprising a mold open at bothends and adapted to receive a billet, a laminated iron core adapted tocontact with the ends of the the ends of the billet, snid corecomprising a .longitudinal section arranged substantially parallel toand spaced from the billet and transverse core sections adapted tocontact with the ends of the billet, one of said transverse sectionshaving an adjustable connection with the longitudinal section, a nd analternating current coil arranged about said mold to excite a magneticilux longitudinall.`

of the billet to heat the same, the mold beingr heated by the billet.

6. Apparatus for coating a steel billet comprising a mold open at bothends and adapted to receive a billet, a laminated iron core comprising alongitudinal section arranged substantially parallel to and spaced fromthe billet and transverse core sections adapted to contact with the endsof the billet, one of said transverse sections having an adjustableconnection with the longitudinal core section, and an alternatingcurrent coil surrounding one of said vcore sections to excite a magneticflux longitudinally of the steel billet to heat the same, vthe moldbeing heated by the billet.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

" VILLIAM E. MOORE.

billet, and an alternating current coil surrounding a portion of thelaminated core and adapted to excite a magnetic flux longitudinally ofthe billet to heat the same.

4. Apparatus for coating a metal billet comprising a mold member open atboth ends and adapted to receive a billet, a laminated iron core memberadapted to contact with the ends of the billet, said core being exten-zsible to insure' contact with the ends of the billet, and an alternatingcurrent coil associated/with one of said members to excite a magnet uxlongitudinally of the billet to heat the same.

5. Apparatus for coating a steel billet comprising a mold of refractorymaterial open at both ends and adapted to receive a billet, a laminatediron core adapted to contact with

